8.9 Magnitude Earthquake and Tsunami Hits Japan

An 8.9 magnitude earthquake hit off the coast of northeastern Japan earlier today. The earthquake consequently created a 10 meter (approximately 32 feet) tsunami which swept into land, pulling ships onto shore and carrying cars further inland.

The earthquake was originally estimated to be around 7.9 magnitude (Mw scale), but later was confirmed to be an 8.9 magnitude earthquake (Mw scale).

Cars riddled in water brought inland by the tsunami.
Source: Agence France-Presse/Getty Images

The tsunami caused unrest throughout the country, including Tokyo where subway service was suspended and power was cut off for approximately 4.1 million houses. Looking ahead, it looks like any damages caused by the earthquake should not be as significant as the tsunami itself, since many of Japan's modern buildings are built to resist large-magnitude earthquakes. Tsunami's on the other hand are much harder to defend against.

Major airports temporarily in Japan halted flights. Financials were affected as both the Yen and the Tokyo Stock Exchange experienced losses.

The epicenter of the earthquake in northeast Japan.
Source: The Wall Street Journal

With Japan already experiencing an economic slump and internal political problems, this only adds more tension to the land of the rising sun.

As a student minoring in the Japanese language, this is hard for me to witness. I appreciate Japan as a country and its rich culture and people.

Let's hope that people get the help they need quickly and efficiently.